Chair base



Feb. 13, 1968 F. CALDEMEYER 3,368,843

I CHAIR BASE Filed June 6, 1966 aiiorney Patented Feb. 13, 19683,368,843 CHAIR BASE Daniel F. Calderneyer, Vanderburgh County, Ind.(4300 Jennings Lane, Evansville, Ind. 47712) Filed June 6, 1966, Ser.No. 555,549 1 Claim. (Cl. 297-261) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A chairbase siderail having an upper surface characterized by an upwardlydirected arcuate portion with blending flattened restricted portions oneither side thereof, the latter serving as blocking or stop means forrock ing action.

The present invention relates to a chair base, and more particularly toa new and novel chair base for a combination rocker-recliner chair.

As is known, combination rocker-recliner chairs have met with highcustomer acceptance, where recent developments, as described in thepending United States patent application Ser. No. 478,568, filed Aug.10, 1965, for Combination Reclining and Rocking Chair, in the names ofDaniel F. Caldemeyer et al., permit desirable high styling leading toeven more popularity. In such application, a combination rocker-reclinerchair is described where the side rails of the seat portion are directlysupported on the side rails of the base assembly, the lower surface ofthe seat side rails being downwardly curved or arcuate in configurationand mounted on a substantially horizontal top surface defining each ofthe side rails of the base assembly.

By virtue of the instant invention, the applicant herein has nowinvented an improvement to the aforedescribed chair base arrangementwhich should serve to even more popularize the combinationrocker-recliner chair, adding comfort and sales features which representa substantial breakthrough to the industry. More particularly, theapplicants new and novel improvement is directed to the configuration ofthe top surface of the chair base side rails, i.e. providing an upwardlycurved portion therealong, instead of having a relatively horizontal topsurface as heretofore.

In other words, in accordance with the teachings of the instantinvention, each of the side rails of the base has a top surface with anupwardly curved configuration, cooperating with the downwardly curvedconfiguration of each of the seat side rails. With the invention athand, a slower and smoother rocking rate is effectively achieved, and,additionally, with depressed or fiat portions disposed along the baseside rails, braking or stopping positions are defined, as, for example,to limit the forward and rearward rocking motion.

Obviously, the applicants new and novel improved chair base isrepresentative of simplicity in manufacturing, utilizing a minimumaddition to the existing structure. The upward curvatured portion is ofprime importance, lending itself to widespread dealer and customeracceptance.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is to providea new and novel chair base for a rockerrecliner chair.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedconfiguration for each base side rail utilized in a combinationrocker-recliner chair.

A further and more general object of the present invention is to providea new and novel side rail configuration for a combinationrocker-recliner chair which includes a stopping or brake position, whichis readily manufactured at virtually no additional expense, which isvery popular with the user, and which represents an importantcontribution to the upholstered furniture industry.

Other objects and a better understanding of the present invention willbecome more apparent from the following description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein FIG. 1 is a view inside elevation showing the new and novel configuration of the base siderail of a rocker-recliner chair, with the seat portion thereof beingshown in full and broken line positions, the latter representing theextent of rocking action; and,

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation, looking from right to left in FIG.1, showing further details of the chair base in accordance with theteachings of the instant invention.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of theinvention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated inthe drawing and specific language will be used to describe the same. Itwill nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of theinvention is thereby intended, such alterations and furthermodifications in the illustrated device, and such further applicationsof the principles of the invention as illustrated therein beingcontemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to whichthe invention relates.

Referring now to the figures, the applicants new and novel chair base 10for a combination rocker-recliner chair comprises side rails 12interconnected by members 14 to define an assembled unit. A conventionalseat portion 20, defined by side rails 22 each having a downwardlycurved lower surface 22a, is mounted directly on the side rails 12 ofthe chair base 10, where rocker springs 30 disposed between the siderails 22 of the movable seat portion 20 and the side rails 12 of thefixed chair base 10 serve to positively assemble the over-all unit.

With particular regard to the invention at hand, each of the side rails12 of the base 10 has a top surface with a curved configuration withrespect to a horizontal plane. Actually, but yet typically, in one for-mof the invention, the top surface of each side rail 12 has a reargenerally restricted or fiat portion 120, an upwardly curved or arcuateportion 12b, and a front generally restricted or flat portion 12c, allblended together. In a normal seating position, the seat portion 20 ofthe chair may assume the heavy line representation in FIG. 1.

In use, the seat portion 20 can move in rocking relationship on the base10 between the limits generally illustrated by the broken lines inFIG. 1. With the curved configuration of the top surface of each siderail 12. the user of the chair can rock at a smoother and a much morerelaxed and slower rate than possible heretofore, where, as indicated,the fiat or restricted portions 12a and serve as blocking or stop meansfor rocking action.

From the preceding, it should be apparent that the applicant herein hasprovided a new and novel configuration for the side rails for the baseof a combination rocker-recliner chair, permitting comfort advantagesnot at all present in prior structures. As stated, the user can rockslower and with more control than heretofore. As should be obvious, theinvention represents economies in manufacture, lending itself to massproduction techniques.

The chair base described hereabove is. of course, susceptible to variouschanges within the spirit of the invention. For example, and dependingupon over-all chair size, the curvature can be varied and the restrictedportions extended, modified, or eliminated. Thus, the above descriptionshould be considered illustrative and not as limiting the scope of thefollowing claim.

I claim:

1. In a base for a combination rocker-recliner chair, a

side rail having an upper seat siderail mounting surface 556,128 3/1896Ba1ke 297-261 characterized by an upwardly directed arcuate portion733,327 7/1903 Moore 297-26l with flattened restricted portions oneither side thereof 901,848 11/1908 Suva 297-261 and blending therewith.2,299,538 10/1942 Goldstein 297261 X 5 3,190,693 6/1965 Underdown297-263 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS CASMIR A. NUNBERG,Primary Examiner. 91,469 3 9 Murry 297 2 1 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY,Examiner. 296,931 4/1834 PP 291-461 X G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner.

321,063 6/1885 Wakefield 297-261 10

